Does ICR Keep Paper Forms Viable?

• Author: PHILLIPS, JOHN T.

Computer technology is capable of performing amazing feats when applied to some otherwise mundane human endeavors. The ability of intelligent character recognition (ICR) software to interpret and read written characters enables paper forms to continue their prevalence in many special industries.

A challenge for modern organizations is the need to accept data input from large numbers of individuals, businesses, or government agencies. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service, healthcare organizations, student testing services, businesses conducting global surveys, and companies interacting with a variety of individuals often must accept paper-based forms as a low-technology solution to obtaining data.

Those using paper forms do not have a computer linked to electronic mail or the Internet, and even well-connected individuals do not always have a computer available when they need to place orders, fill out credit card receipts, or file requests for healthcare coverage. Paper forms are still the least expensive data capture device for many business applications where individuals without network connections must provide data for entry into a computer system. Even today's much-acclaimed Internet browser interfaces do not help computer applications when the data must be collected from constantly changing individuals and constantly changing locations.

Processing data entry forms that contain handwritten responses requires software with character recognition capabilities that dramatically exceed those of standard optical character recognition (OCR) software. Whereas OCR software reads typewritten characters, data on paper forms filled out by human hands is far more difficult to decipher and recognize than consistent typewritten text.

By its very nature, ICR performs a data conversion during the capture process: the ICR software recognizes scanned images of data then converts it to American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) text. To the extent that the data is converted accurately, it does not differ from the original paper business record. However, if a handwritten number one is misread during ICR as the lower-case alphabet letter l, then the electronic record does not reflect the content of the original paper record.

A records management question arises in the industry practice of discarding paper-based input forms once the data has been entered into a computer system. It is not uncommon for credit card receipts and other such transitory data collection devices to be discarded once data entry has occurred. In some applications where paper-based forms are used for data gathering and subsequent data entry, the original paper records are stored off-site in a commercial records storage center. In other cases, the paper records are discarded as their data is entered into the computer system. No auditable trail is retained to show what appeared on the original form, making it more difficult to resolve disputes that arise regarding data accuracy in newly created electronic records.

Paper Is Still Practical

Much has been said about the demise of paper as a medium for human communications. Electronic document management systems, electronic mail, and word processing software are often presented as technologies that can lead to the paperless office. These computer-based solutions to the paper glut do have...